The Little Wren's Nest and a 'Snow Day' Surprise

Spring is here says the little wren! She decided to build a nest in a little cubby that houses my electric fence and garden equipment. Using that electric fence is now a bit tricky for me because this little lady has been busy. When I first discovered the nest there were only five eggs and now there are seven! I actually thought she had abandoned the nest because I had never seen her in here. I actually thought the nest was a mouse's nest and was ready to throw it out when I spotted the eggs. Wrens are funny birds who are rather secretive in their ways but who have no problems with nesting in and among us humans.

Here is a long picture of the nest in the cubby. You can see how it can easily be mistaken for a bunch of leaves for a mouse nest. I am trying to leave her be. As long as the deer stay out of the orchard I don't really need to get in this box. It will be great fun to watch the babies grow.

Right next to the little wren's nesting cubby is a 'Snow Day Surprise' pearlbush. This shrub is one of the most stunning in the garden right now. While it is not as full as some I've seen online it is pretty and sparkly and makes a big enough impact that Mr. Fix-it actually noticed it. That is a pretty big statement considering he doesn't too often notice anything growing in the garden unless he can eat it. I don't think pearlbushes are edible so don't try to eat it!

The blooms are brilliant. This plant is a stunner.

I used to have it in the woodland area but it simply languished so I decided to move it to a full sun area where it is coming into its own. This is one of the transplants from my old garden. Do give it full sun or it will not do well in Tennessee. Perhaps it can stand some shade in the deep south but for our area it really needs the sun. Acid soil with organic matter is ideal. I have this one sited alone so it can shine. As a bonus it gives the little wren a place to rest as she comes and goes from her cubby.

Right behind the cubby is the orchard and these late daffodils are coming into their own. I wish I could bottle and send you all the fragrance. I adore these white flowered daffodils for their fragrance that perfumes the entire house when a bouquet is cut for display.

As much as I love the white daffodils (cultivars unknown at this time) for their fragrance I adore the little 'Hawera' daffodil for its natural beauty and its ability to make a big impact with such tiny flowers. These are diminutive flowers but it only takes a few stems to make a big impact because each stem has five to six flowers atop it. I received these bulbs from a dear gardening friend and I can't thank her enough as I so love daffodils in my gardens. Any of the old heirloom daffodils are on my list to collect and plant.....

in the garden....enjoying bird eggs and flowers.

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Some Daffodils for You

I've been really busy in the garden and in life. As such the daffodils seemed like they came and went so fast that I missed them. The rain and the cold did not really help. Daffodils will be in bloom all the way up to May so I haven't completely missed the show but the big early show is pretty much over. I did manage to capture a few photographs. 

I have not had time to research all the cultivars but will one day. I kept all of the packages from the initial planting in Tiger Gardens so even tho I transplanted over 14000 bulbs I do know of what cultivars/varieties they are. It is simply a matter of matching up the pictures with the blooms now. Wish me luck on that!

This is one of my favorite daffodils for the delicate and fine coloring graduations.

Same daffodil. These daffodils are in the orchard; which I don't mow for quite a while. As such there are lots of little wildflowers growing on the orchard floor. You can see some bluets in this picture. Those little wildflowers are good for pollinators including my two honeybee hives.

A neat orange frosted trumpet.

Love that frilliness.

This is one of several double daffodils. I did not realize there were so many different kinds of doubles. I only post one here but I have several varieties. The extra petals are all slightly different. It is pretty neat the range of colors. While daffodils don't have much pollen I do occasionally find honeybees buzzing around them. Bees need pollen to feed the developing baby bees.

This is along the southern woodline. The show is not so spectacular right now but give it a few years. This woodline is about 700 feet long chock full of bulbs.

This is one part of the orchard to include the honeybee hives. The show is mainly of 'Ice Follies' daffodils. For me 'Ice follies' and 'Tete e Tete' daffodils are my best multipliers in the garden. This is why I had so many of these beautiful bulbs to transplant to Tiger Way Gardens.

Have a nice Easter....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Georgia Pine Pollen

BY SKEETER

It is Azalea time here in my GEORGIA GARDENS! These two are always the first to bloom for me.

They are a bit early this year but to be expected with all this abnormally warm weather we have been having. The past 8 days have been in the 80's with some record breaking days!

I could not resist picking up a few Geraniums for the bicycle planter. The garden centers are starting to fill up with pretties in our area with this awesome weather.

With this warm weather comes pollen from the tall Georgia Pine Trees. Even though my gardens remain a bit soggy from past rainfall, a nice rainfall would wash out all this yellow mess. Hopefully we will not a repeat as the year I did another posting on Pine Pollen. Click HERE to see that blog. (Note: DO NOT become confused with the contest as this posting was made in 2010.)

A great surprise to me, the Crimson and Clover must have reseeded from last year! Happy day to me as I love this sweet red bloom and the fact that The Saint gave me the seeds  last year.

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!

The double daffodils are now blooming.

I really do need to get them divided for more throughout the gardens. But even with the time change, there is only so many hours in a day. And with my large garden area to clean, daffy dividing is not high on the priority list.

The double daffodils are so pretty and full. 

I put one of the geraniums in with a Candy Tuft that did fine over winter in this pot.

I have a fern for the stump but it is on the front porch for now. We are expecting one more cold snap and I fear loosing it so I shall wait a bit. The stump is becoming hollow and this may be the last year I can put a Fern on top. I had to place a stone to keep it stable last year.

 I have also been doing a bit of painting. Giving some of the outdoor items a fresh coat of paint such as this little bird bath atop a milk can.

While out in the garden weeding today, I had a little friend. Well, if you look closely, you will see two little friends. Although, the snail is not really a friend of the garden. But I left it alone. Mums are starting to pop up from the ground.

Of course, I had to pick up and talk with the little box turtle though. It was so stinking cute. Just look at that little face. All together now, Awwwwwwww... The last I saw of this little friend, it was burrowing under the mulch of the small lilac bush.

As I called it a day and headed back into the house, I spotted this on the decking around the pool. Looks as though Ghost Footprints but not so. Just my footprints from the GEORGIA PINE POLLEN, In the Garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Sunny Delights

BY SKEETER

We have had beautiful weather the past few days here in my GEORGIA GARDENS. Daffodils are in full bloom and I cannot get enough of them.

 The center of the same flower. See the touch of orange?

 I do not know the names of my little pretties but I have many different types. Although, not as many as our Master Gardener Tina.

 The Yellow glows in the sun.

 This is the one I recall as a child growing up in Tennessee. I called them Buttercups as do most every one I know from Tennessee. That is, all that were born in TN...

 These things give me great cheer in the spring.  

 I do not have many of these but after dividing them a few years, I should have many more.

 Just look at the pollen within. 

 Little rays of sunshine I tell ya.

 Wow, look at this pollen. More than the other bloom and just waiting for something to flutter along and pick it up for transfer.

Wait, correct color but wrong bloom. Of course with Spring comes those pesky dandelions in my grassy areas.

 I have been taking advantage of the nice weather to start cleaning out my gardens. Here the planter full of Liriope is about to be removed. Last year, I left the old grass but this year, I have decided to remove it for a nicer look.  

I took the hand clippers to this planter so as to not disturb any critters taking shelter under the dormant grass. Some times, we get a baby bunny or two. I did not find any bunnies but a big toad which was happy I did not take any type of electric device to this grass. New growth was already popping up from the earth.

I raised the patio umbrella for shade while sipping ice cold water.

And look who was on top of the umbrella. Charlie the Anole visit me as I rest.

 Okay, I became sidetracked a bit. Back to my pretties. These are a smaller variety. I call them Narcissus.

Did you know that Daffodils are in the Amaryllis family? Click HERE to learn more about them.

 Here is one that has yet to completely open.

I find it fun to observe blooms in different stages. I tell you, I just cannot get enough of these little SUNNY DELIGHTS, In the Garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Thousands of Bulbs

What does over 14,000 bulbs look like prior to bloom? Well, not like these pictures but you can get an idea. There is no possible way I can show you all 14, 000 plus bulbs I have planted on our property in the last three years because they are spread out all over the property. I did take these pictures of our big field which contains the orchard and a wildflower area. The wildflower area is posted above. It is a small portion of the field where I planted mainly native prairie plants such as asters, sunflowers, rudbeckia, Joe Pye Weed, baptisias, cup plants, and many more perennials. Prior to establishing this area as a wildflower area though, Mr. Fix-it and I spent some time planting daffodil bulbs here. These are all predominantly 'Ice Follies'. The grass is brown because it was just bushhogged this month in preparation for the growing season. Soon new growth of the perennials will begin as the daffodils fade away. I will post pictures once these 'Ice Follies' bloom.

Moving into the orchard we see green grass. The orchard is mowed on a regular basis. We walk in this area a lot and need the grass to be maintained in order to have access to the plants and to keep down the insect problem. The chickens also live in the orchard and help out with insects. The orchard itself is about one acre large and is filled with daffodil bulbs of all sorts. The bulbs are planted about 18" apart throughout the entire area.Those tall green stems are the daffodil bulbs showing their foliage in preparation for blooms. The hay bales are a wind block for my two bee hives. Both bee hives are doing great.

More of the orchard looking at the daylily beds and toward the grape arbor. Mr. Fix-it and I planted the bulbs before we mapped out the garden beds. Hence, there are bulbs everywhere including in the garden beds. This is totally not a good method of planting a garden so don't do it. I wish I had taken the time to plan things out better. And this from a landscape designer.

More of the orchard looking past some bare fruit trees toward the front gardens. This area will be amazing once the daffodils bloom. Right now the flowers don't make a big impact in onesies and twosies but that will change as the bulbs slowly multiply. The orchard will, believe it or not even with only one or two bulbs per hole, become a mass of yellows and whites soon. All of these bulbs are of different varieties. There are perhaps about two dozen different kinds of daffodil bulbs just in the orchard. Therefore their bloom times may vary a little. The entire show will not happen all at once then disappear.

More daffodils.

These ones have begun their bloom. They are probably the cultivar 'Rijnfelds Early'.

More blooms are beginning to show. These flowers are such a delight for me! They are never bothered by the wildlife, are tough as nails, easy to divide, and propagate, and bloom for a very long time. I usually have daffodils in bloom all the way from early February until the end of May. For information on how to divide daffodils see my popular post found here. You do NOT need to wait until the bulbs are dormant. In fact, if you do you most likely will forget where the bulbs are located. All of the above bulbs have been divided and replanted within the last three years when they were in bloom, prior to bloom, or just after bloom. I prefer to dig and divide daffodils prior to bloom IF I know what cultivar the bulbs are. If not, then I wait until they bloom so that I can coordinate the height and colors and types of blooms with adjoining blooms....

in the garden....

Tomorrow is Super Tuesday and for those of us in Tennessee it means we get to exercise our valuable right to vote. That's where you'll find me and I hope you'll also be visiting your local polling station too. 

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden